HIV outbreak horror: 331 children infected in Pakistan's Punjab, unsafe injection practices found at govt hospital
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Representative image. Photograph: (Unsplash)
Among 97 affected children studied, only four had HIV-positive mothers, indicating that mother-to-child transmission was not the main cause. The issue first emerged in late 2024, when a local doctor noticed a sharp rise in paediatric HIV cases.
At least 331 children in the Punjab province of Pakistan have contracted HIV between November 2024 and October 2025 in a suspected healthcare-linked outbreak, according to the BBC. The investigation by the news outlet uncovered unsafe injection practices at a government hospital situated in Taunsa.
All the identified cases have been flagged with serious concerns about infection control after the evidence has emerged indicating that syringes were allegedly reused on medicine vials, resulting in contamination that exposed multiple patients to the virus.
The BBC uncovered that syringes were utilised on multi-dose vials at least 10 times amid covert filming at the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital in Taunsa. Multiple instances showed that medication from the same vial was given to different children, heightening the risk of HIV transmission.
The first case emerged in late 2024
Health records show that in over half of the 331 cases, “contaminated needles” were identified as the probable source of infection. Among 97 affected children studied, only four had HIV-positive mothers, indicating that mother-to-child transmission was not the main cause. The issue first emerged in late 2024, when a local doctor noticed a sharp rise in paediatric HIV cases, many of whom had been treated at the same hospital.
In March 2025, even after the government crackdown on the hospital and the suspension of the medical superintendent, unsafe medical practices were still found continuously. Evidence disclosed staff injecting without gloves, mismanaging medical waste, and leaving used equipment in unhygienic conditions.
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Hospital officials have rejected the findings, claiming the footage is either staged or outdated, while local authorities said there is no definitive proof directly connecting the facility to the outbreak, according to the BBC.
However, experts caution that the heavy reliance on injections, along with shortages of medical supplies and inadequate training, could be contributing to unsafe practices. They note that the situation mirrors past incidents in Pakistan where poor medical procedures have resulted in the spread of infectious diseases.
